Personal for Anthony J Sargeant Tony

Cast Iron Mangle used on washday in the 1940-50s before the days of washing machines

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The mother of Anthony Sargeant used a cast iron mangle just like this one on washing day in the 1940-50s. The wooden rollers squeezed much of the water out of the washing so that it could be hung out to dry on the long washing line that ran the length of the garden. Other essential laundry equipment was a ribbed glass wash board for rubbing the dirty washing against and a copper boiler (a large standing cylindrical copper tank heated by a gas ring underneath) into which washing was loaded to be boiled up and occasional stirred or beaten down with a wooden stick.